SUMMARY
Our newly renovated, spacious and traditional town house has amazing views over the market town of Oliva, which has a mix of old streets, newer centre and almost 10km of blue flag beaches.
The house nestles in a cul de sac in the old town area and dates back a century. It has a range of features, ranging from old (including marble tiles) to new (high-speed fibre Wi-Fi.)
The front door opens into a cosy, cool front room which has plenty of space for the dining table, two settees, bed settee, ceiling fans, and a wood burner for the winter. Also on the ground floor, there is a well-equipped kitchen, bathroom, and utility area.
The first floor offers two large bedrooms, sleeping up to six people, and separate WC and shower rooms.
Everyone loves the roof terrace, which stretches over 40m2 and has stunning views of the old town, mountains and a tantalising glimpse of the Mediterranean. There are also two smaller terraces at the back of the house. (See below for more information about the rooms and terraces.)
Within 5 minutes’ walk, through the winding cobbles of the old town, you’ll find several bars, a shop and our favourite restaurant, Pelut. Nearby, there are two beautiful churches, one dominating the popular San Roque square, and the castle (all of which can be seen from the roof terrace) and two museums.
Another 5 minutes' walk takes you into the centre of Oliva, a working town that remains mainly Spanish and has a variety of bars, restaurants and shops, including supermarkets and the indoor market (with tourist information centre next door.)
The boulevard through the middle of the main street is pleasantly shaded by an avenue of trees; it has a playground and plenty of seating to enjoy drinks or ice creams from its bars and kiosks, plus, on Fridays, a large outdoor market.
The sea is a pleasant 30 minutes’ walk from the centre, down a shaded boulevard, or you can hop onto a bus or catch a taxi from the rank opposite the indoor market. Here there are six wonderful beaches, stretching almost 10km, which are less crowded than the more touristy resorts further up and down the coast. There are several places to eat and drink by the sea (some with seasonal opening), and a beach bar in the summer.
OUR STREET
Calle St Marcos dates back a century, has around a dozen houses and overlooks the winding streets of the old town. It’s a pleasant cul de sac, which means there is little traffic noise but no room for parking, though there are plenty of spaces nearby.
The other houses in Calle St Marcos and the surrounding streets are occupied mainly by Spanish families, with some expat residents and holiday homes
TRADITIONAL HOUSE WITH A SPACIOUS 90m2 OF INSIDE SPACE
The house is in a terrace of old town houses, all with their own individual looks.
The front door opens into a delightful main room, which is almost 30m2 and has dining and lounge areas.
The dining section has a table, which comfortably seats six people, and useful bed settee, sleeping two.
There are another two settees in the lounge, a three-seater and two-seater, plus TV, arched hatch to the kitchen, and stairs to the first floor. As with many traditional Spanish homes, this room is relatively cool in the summer, and also benefits from two ceiling fans. For the Spanish winter (which lasts only a few weeks!), there is a cosy wood burning stove. (Starter pack of logs is provided).
A corridor of 9m2 leads from this main room to the kitchen, bathroom, utility area, and door to the back terrace.
The kitchen is 6.5m2 and was recently refurbished, with new electric cooker and hob. It’s equipped with a microwave, fridge with freezer compartment, kettle, toaster and extractor fan. Food, drink and conversation flows into the main room via an arch above one of the preparation areas.
In the bathroom, which is almost 8m2, there is a bath with overhead shower, sink with vanity unit, bidet and WC. (The first floor has separate WC and shower rooms.)
The 3m2 utility area offers a washing machine, large utility sink and handy storage.
From the main room, an open staircase leads to the first floor. This staircase has a handrail but is unsuitable for people with mobility issues, and younger children should be supervised (our son used the stairs from the age of one and was perfectly safe.)
On the first floor, Bedroom 1 is a delightful, comfortable and spacious 13m2, at the front of the house. Its window shutters allow you to gaze over the old town, shut out the sun, or enjoy a gentle breeze. There is a double bed, plenty of wardrobe space and a ceiling fan.
Bedroom 2, also on the first floor, is even bigger; an impressive 15m2. It looks out over the middle terrace, towards the mountains, and has one double bed, two singles, a wardrobe and a ceiling fan.
Also on the first floor are separate WC and shower rooms, each around 1.5m2, and a corridor of 9m2 with bookcase and stairs to the roof terrace.
AMAZING VIEWS FROM THE THREE TERRACES, STRETCHING OVER 80m2
Our favourite outside space is the roof terrace, which is a real suntrap that stretches across 40m2. This has spectacular views over the old town: Oliva castle, the beautiful churches of San Roque (on the site of an old mosque) and Santa Maria, a tantalising glimpse of the Mediterranean sea shimmering in the distance, and, from the back and side, views to the mountains and trees.
We often spend the whole day up here, enjoying the views, snoozing under the pergola, cooking on the barbecue, and watching the sun set behind the castle.
The middle terrace, on the first floor, outside Bedroom 2, is 23m2 and used mainly for drying clothes.
On the ground floor there is another 18m2 of pleasant and shaded outside space and a store for the garden furniture.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OLIVA
Oliva is an unspoilt market town which is in the 'Oranges and Lemons' region of Valencia, midway between Alicante (100km) and Valencia (75km). It's on the southern tip of the Costa del Azahar, 5 miles away from the beginning of the Costa Blanca.
We love that Oliva is traditionally Spanish and not too touristy, though with a range of restaurants, bars and shops to suit all tastes, and of course the wonderful beaches. Oliva is split into three areas, all with their own unique character: the old town (where you’ll find the house) oozes atmosphere and history, the town centre is packed with shops and restaurants, many along the tree-lined boulevard, and then there is almost 10km of blue-flag beaches and more places to eat and drink.
Oliva has a strong community feel and people in the town come together to celebrate several traditional festivals, including the Falles and Moore and Christians, in spectacular style!
HOW TO GET TO OLIVA FROM VALENCIA AIRPORT
CAR: About an hour’s drive, mainly via the AP-7 motorway which used to be toll but is now free. Alternatively, you can take the N-332 coastal road, which is pleasant but takes longer.
BUS: Direct bus to Oliva, taking 90 minutes from the centre of Valencia. Valencia to Oliva by bus from £8 | ALSA, Infobus | Busbud
TRAIN: Half-hourly trains, taking just under an hour, from Valencia Nord station to Gandia, which is next door to Oliva and a short hop by bus or taxi. (Either pay at the station or book via: Renfe | Train tickets AVE, Avlo Low Cost (with No Booking Fees))
HOW TO GET TO OLIVA FROM ALICANTE AIRPORT
CAR: About an hour’s drive, mainly via the AP-7 motorway which used to be toll but is now free. Alternatively, you can take the N-332 coastal road, which is pleasant but takes longer.
BUS: No direct buses, but there are a number of options which involving changing in Benidorm or further up the coast but take some time.
TRAM: It takes three and a half hours to travel the scenic route from Alicante to Benidorm and then change to Denia, which is about 30km from Oliva. Timetables & Journeys - Tram Alicante (tramalacant.es) There are plans to extend this route to Oliva and onto Gandia train station, which has services to Valencia.
